Project Maximus is a mission dedicated to unlocking the greatest version of yourself. I'm Max Barnes and I built Project Maximus inside 80-hour work weeks and a 120-mile daily commute without waiting for ideal conditions. Every episode digs into the methodology and mythology extracted from years of excavating who I am, how I operate, and what I'm capable of. Forged inside a hectic life. Ain't nothin' to it but to do it. Welcome to Project Maximus! Walk with me.
Check out more at https://project-maximus.com
Sara and I have had some of our favorite conversations over coffee, so it only made sense to finally record one. In Refill Your Cup, we talk about work, identity, energy, optimism, and what it means to live more intentionally while still figuring life out in real time. Two different stages of life, two different perspectives, and a lot to learn from each other.
https://project-maximus.com/
8 Sept 2026
Episode 9 w/ Daniel Copley - Building People Better Than You
My first guest had to be someone special. Daniel was one of my earliest mentors, teaching me how to be a mechanic, a leader, and a man when I was 20 years old in the Air Force. Fourteen years later, I'm coaching his daughter, and we sat down to talk mentorship, leadership, hard lessons, and his philosophy that stuck with me: No one does it alone, and no one has it all figured out. “My goal is to make you better than me.” - Daniel Copley
https://project-maximus.com/
31 Aug 2026
Episode 8 - Prepare Yourself
Most of the work that changes your life happens when nobody is watching and before you know what it’s preparing you for. This is a look back at the long walk from 18 years old to now, and why sometimes the only thing you can do is keep walking in the dark. What are you doing today to prepare yourself for an opportunity you don’t even know is coming?https://project-maximus.com/
25 Aug 2026
Episode 7 - What Do Your Actions Prove?
You don't become a different person because you decide to. You become one by stacking evidence. In this episode, I talk about quitting smoking, changing my health, breaking away from scripts, and how small decisions build identity over time. What do your actions prove about who you're becoming?
https://project-maximus.com/
3 Aug 2026
Episode 6 - Self-Esteem and the Negotiation Loop
What happens when the way you talk to yourself becomes something holding you back?
In this episode, I break down the Negotiation Loop, the internal conversation that makes excuses sound reasonable, weakens follow-through, and slowly erodes self-respect. Through stories about burnout, negative self-talk, and keeping promises to myself, I explore how noticing the loop, naming it, and acting anyway can change the way you see yourself.
The question is simple: what promise can you keep to yourself today?
https://project-maximus.com/
15 Jul 2026
Episode 5 - Friday Energy & Attention is the Master Resource
This episode is about how to take control of your life by harnessing something I call 'Friday Energy.' Then, I challenge a popular belief about time and attention. Walk with me!
https://project-maximus.com
20 Jun 2026
Episode 4 - Training Your Subconscious
This one's raw; my first attempt at recording, which is why it doesn't have a video. The topic is the subconscious: what was training mine before I was paying attention, what changed when I started feeding it intentionally, and why most people don't make that switch even when they know they should.
https://project-maximus.com/
11 Jun 2026
Episode 3 - My Support System
Behind every pressure chamber and excavation I walked you through in Episodes 1 and 2, there were people and support systems. This episode is a tribute to them.
4 Jun 2026
Episode 2 - Life's Pressure Chambers
One mortal question navigated three major transformations in my life that all followed the same arc: a pressure chamber, an excavation, and a diamond on the other side. This episode introduces the compass.
1 Jun 2026
Episode 1 - Catching You Up
2 years ago, I was overweight and diagnosed pre-diabetic. I was commuting 120 miles daily, working 60-hour weeks, and had a family getting whatever energy was left over... which wasn't much.
Episode 1 of Project Maximus is the origin story, walking you through how it all began. In this episode I faced myself in the mirror, made a life changing decision at 2am in a quiet house, and made a declaration that launched everything that followed.
If you've ever been capable of more and known it, this one's for you!
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Apple Podcasts (US)
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Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
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